Chelsea – Tottenham Hotspur: Spurs Are Still Playing with Fire (2-1)

In principle, this London rivalry needs no additional spice, but both sides have certainly seen better days. The visitors at Stamford Bridge had fresh legs and the imperative of ending their existential dread in their corner, but it would be Chelsea who walked with the bragging rights.

Tactical analysis and match report by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere.

Chelsea continue to limp towards the end of their campaign. After the five-game scoreless and pointless Premier League streak that ended the reign of Liam Rosenior, Calum McFarlane found himself back in the dugout for a second stint as interim head coach in 2026. A 1-1 draw with Liverpool left the team further adrift of the Champions League qualifying positions, and a pale performance in the final third meant Manchester City edged their way to the FA Cup crown.

But their situation is nowhere near as dire as it once looked for Tottenham Hotspur. The club have cycled through the stewardship of Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor to fall upon the leadership of Roberto de Zerbi for the final phase of this season. Back-to-back triumphs . . .